Portable rotary fountain brush



June 30, 1953 w, NNNNNNNN AM 2,643,406

' HWQWHM. WILLIAM G. CUNNINGHAM wm/z ATTORNEY Patented June 30, 1953 UNITED STATES PTENT OFFICE PORTABLE ROTARY FOUNTAIN BRUSH William G. Cunningham, Atlanta, Ga.

Application November 8, 1949, Serial No. 126,173

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a revolving pressure brush, and more particularly to a revolving brush with which both water pressure and pressure from the bristles of the brush can be applied to the surface to be cleaned.

In the cleaning of automobiles and other objects having large surfaces to be Washed, the brushes oi the prior art were inadequate in that they did not conveniently and efliciently direct water beneath the bristles of the brush and sufficiently coordinate the action of the Water and bristles.

It is an object of my invention to provide a brush having a revolving head of bristles and being provided with a shield constructed and arranged to assure proper cooperation between the bristles and the cleaning fluid.

Another object of my invention is to provide a brush constructed and arranged to afford ease of operation and efliciency in use.

Another object of my invention is to provide a brush which is attractive in appearance, simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture and ru ged in construction.

Other and further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a'brush embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the brush shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 33 in Fig. 2.

In the embodiment chosen for illustration, opposed handles Ill, It are oppositely disposed about a central connecting section ll having a central bore in which a spindle l 2 is mounted for rotation. The spindle i2 is splined on its free outer end, as at l3, for connection to any suitable source of power, not shown, which is usually aiforded through the ordinary shielded flexible cable.

Connected to the handles l0, H3, or formed integrally therewith, is an annular skirt which has a downwardly and outwardly extending flaring portion M, which may be formed of hard rubber, an outer ring portion l5 having substantially vertical walls and being formed of medium hard rubber, and an intermediate ring portion it connecting the baiiie ring [5 to the skirt I4 and being formed of live rubber.

Fixed to the skirt M are a plurality of rings l4, M which may be made of metal or other suitable material to aid in retaining the shape and size of the skirt l4. At its closed upper end the skirt M cooperates with the handles I ll, [0' and the central connecting section II to form a chamber I! within which is mounted a brush head I8 which is connected to the spindle l2 for rotary movement. Relatively long, flexible bris tles l3 are secured in the brush head I 8 for rotation therewith, and these bristles extend in diverging relation substantially to the outer end of the baffle ring l5, as shown in Fig. 3, when no scrubbing pressure is applied to the brush. Water, or other cleaning fluid, is supplied to the chamber ll through conduit 2E3 which extends through the central connecting section II and is arranged for connection to a suitable source of supply (not shown) by means of a flexible hose or other conventional means. I

In operation, my brush is grasped by the handles ll], I0, cleaning fluid is supplied through the conduit 2!] and runs down through the bristles which are driven with a rotary motion imparted to the head I8. The skirt l4 confines the cleaning fluid to the bristles l9, and the baffle ring [5 is pressed against the surface being cleaned to hold the cleaning fluid in contact with the bristles and to prevent it from being thrown out onto the operator and onto parts of the surface already cleaned. As scrubbing pressure is applied through the handles l0, ID, the bristles due to their length are flexed and compressed into the skirt M, which retains its shape with the aid of the ring retainers l4, l4", and the live rubber intermediate portion ['6 flexes to permit the baffle ring to follow the ends of the bristles l9 and yet retain a snug fit against the surface being cleaned. In other words, due to the length of the bristles, they are bent sidewise under pressure of the handle and are confined within the skirt as they swirl, so as to afford a moplike, rubbing action as distinguished from the conventional scrubbing brush action usually obtained with this rotary type of brush. This rubbing action is particularly advantageous in washing the highly polished surfaces of automobiles, "as it avoids the likelihood of scratching which often results when ordinary short bristled brushes are employed.

It will be obvious that my invention provides a needed article of great convenience and usefulness, and that while I have illustrated and described my invention in a very practical embodiment thereof without attempting to illustrate or describe other embodiments and adaptations which I contemplate, various changes, adaptations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a substantially cylindrical central connecting section having a central cylindrical bore formed therein, a pair of handles oppositely disposed on the outside of said central connecting section, an open tapered skirt member supported by said connecting section and flaring away from said central cylindrical bore, said skirt member being formed of hard material to resist flexing, said skirt member and said central connecting section forming an inner chamber adjacent their intersection, a flexible open connecting ring formed integrally with and extending from the open end of said skirt member, a substantially cylindrical outer ring of medium hard material formed integrally with and extending from said connecting ring and being arranged substantially vertically, a shaft mounted for rotation in said central bore of said connecting section and having one end thereof projecting above said central connecting section and the'other end thereof projecting into said chamber, a brush head mounted for rotation with saidshaft inside said chamber, bristles attached to said brush head and extending beneath said skirt member, a fluid inlet passing through said central connecting section and terminating insaid chamber, and a plurality of ring-shaped retainers attached inside said skirt member.

2. A rotary pressure brush, comprising a substantially cylindrical central connecting section, a handle formed on said section, a composite shield carried by said connecting section and including an open flaring skirt member of hard material, depending from the lower end of said connecting section, an annular flaring web portion formed of an uninterrupted flexible membrane integral with and bounding the outer edge of said skirt, a substantially cylindrical outer ring of medium hard material, integral with and bounding the outer edge of said web and depending vertically therefrom, a concentric annular chamber formed adjacent the junction of said skirt and connecting section, a central cylindrical bore formed in said connecting section and opening into said chamber, a power shaft mounted for rotation in said bore and having one end projecting into said chamber, a brush head mounted on the projecting end of said shaft, a plurality of elongated flexible bristles arranged in said head beneath said skirt and extending in flaring relation, the length of said bristles being in excess of the diameter of said head whereb they extend substantially to said outer ring, and a fluid inlet to said chamber.

3. A rotary pressure brush as claimed in claim 2 wherein said annular Web is formed of live rubber.

WILLIAM G. CUNNINGHAM.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain June 20, 1949 

